# Ambient Weather wireless thermo-hygrometer



## jcazz (Apr 2, 2011)

For the impatient among you, watch the quick video review:






With the weather in Indiana in the summer, humidity is a real pain to regulate sometimes. It's hard to not peek in the humidor and coolidor all the time, but I don't want to let all my humidity out to check to make sure things are stable.

So on a whim, I picked up an Ambient Weather wireless hygrometer (the WS-08) with 4 remote sensors to see if it would work well and keep me from peeking all the time.










It arrived about two weeks ago, and after calibrating the remote units with a Boveda 75% kit, I was ready to toss them in various boxes. The good news, they were all spot on right out of the box. I don't know if they take a while to settle down, or if I'm getting to the end of the life of the Boveda pack, but it did take _at least_ 24 hours for each sensor to settle and read 75%. More good news, if you have a sensor that's off, you can adjust it in the remote display to the correct value. So if you know a sensor has been in a 75% environment for 24+ hours and it's reading - say 71% - you can adjust that unit to read 75% and it will "remember" the correction in the display.

The display unit is a generic silver and made of plastic. It has a kick-stand so it'll sit on a desk and it also has a keyhole so you can hang it on a wall. It's about 4.5" wide x 4.5" tall x 0.75" deep and runs on 4x AAA batteries. The sensors are all about 4" tall x 1.5" wide x 0.75" deep and run on 2x AAA batteries.









I picked this up on Amazon, with 4 sensors, for right at $60 (link: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00EW4970O/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1) and you can order various combinations of displays & sensors. This display will support up to 8 sensors.

To give you an idea of the size of the space the sensor will take up in your humidor; it's about the same space as 3 robusto-sized cigars.



















So far I've been very happy with the way this has performed. They all appear to be right on when compared to the calibrated digital hygros I had, and they all read 75% out of the box against the Boveda. The hardest part is remembering which sensor is in which box when I look on the screen.

The display does some nice things, too. It shows the temp as well as the humidity, but is also shows you the daily max and min temp & humidity recorded. So you can see pretty easily if things are staying stable. There is also a little up/down/flat indicator arrow that shows you if you're trending up, down, or staying level for both the temp and humidity.

It makes it really easy to see if the environment is where I want it to be, and (more importantly) if it's staying stable.

If you're ultra paranoid, the display unit has an alarm capability which will beep if the temp or humidity go outside of the min/max ranges you set.

Here's a pic showing it in one of my desktop humidors.










And a pic in my 150 quart coolidor.










Bottom line - this seems to work really well and lets me "check in" on conditions without disrupting anything in the humis and coolis scattered about. It's cheap for what you get; about the price of 3 of the regular puck-style digital hygros and for about the same money (each, sadly) you can add 4 more sensors (for 8 sensors total).

Now I just need to convince my SO that a wine cooler is a necessity so I can work on knocking the temps down. They're a little higher than I'd like them to be. Anyone got any good advice for convincing SWMBO to green-light $250-ish on a wine cooler?


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## Nature (Jul 30, 2012)

Very cool! I also use a wireless remote temp/RH sensor intended for a weather station. I did this more out of convenience because I had an extra remote laying around. Kind of nice to be able to check on the conditions without going downstairs to open the cooler. Although, I hardly look at it any more because it rarely deviates.


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## rtrimbath (Sep 22, 2013)

I own one of these and for the money it's one of the better purchases I've made. My remote sensors were off by 2% out of the box, but they are easy to calibrate. I'm pretty happy with mine overall.


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## Trackmyer (Jun 6, 2014)

Hahaha...Jacob, I knew it would only be a matter of days before someone posted something here that I simply could not resist buying. This is that first item. Juggling multiple desktop humidors has always been a task, and this looks like its gonna make my life so much easier.
Great photos, video, and review. Two big thumbs up.
Thanks for helping me spend some money..haha


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## SeanTheEvans (Dec 13, 2013)

Very nice review, seriously, pretty perfect.

I too must now go out and purchase this new "necessity".

Perhaps you should refrain from any further reviews:hurt:


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## stogienoob75 (Feb 27, 2014)

It's funny that this came up again today... I've got a weather station but with only one remote sensor and it's outside... but i was tooling around with the idea of using some type of microprocessor system like arduino to build something specific for us BOTLs... something that could be monitored remotely either via web page or smartphone app with alerts for ranges outside of what you want to keep the sticks at... problem is I don't have any of the hardware to start with so i'm still trying to confirm if this is possible before shelling out any cash. Anyone else looked into this?


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## SeanTheEvans (Dec 13, 2013)

Just watched the video as well, I'm glad that it thinks anything over 65% is too wet! haha, me and the machine agree. It'd be a welcome change from my hygrometer telling me that 72% is "ideal"
\
@stogienoob75 - it's definitely possible, because it already exists. If it's feasible on the scale you're talking costs, etc- I have no clue.


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## JRM03 (Jan 4, 2014)

Anyone had long term use of this device? Got a coolidor going in the basement for long term storage and this would be great. Before I drop the coin I'm curious as to long term accuracy of the hygros. Beats the price of the Xikar model by a mile.


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## WNYTony (Feb 12, 2014)

3 months and all is well


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## jcazz (Apr 2, 2011)

stogienoob75 said:


> It's funny that this came up again today... I've got a weather station but with only one remote sensor and it's outside... but i was tooling around with the idea of using some type of microprocessor system like arduino to build something specific for us BOTLs... something that could be monitored remotely either via web page or smartphone app with alerts for ranges outside of what you want to keep the sticks at... problem is I don't have any of the hardware to start with so i'm still trying to confirm if this is possible before shelling out any cash. Anyone else looked into this?


I don't know about the accuracy - but at the last company I was at, we outfitted the server rooms and the IDFs with little boxes that plugged into a CAT5 cable & had a temp probe, humidity sensor, and light sensor. We used Cacti (Cacti® - The Complete RRDTool-based Graphing Solution) to graph them and see trends and we also used Nagios (Nagios - The Industry Standard in IT Infrastructure Monitoring) to send alerts to pagers/phones. We only cared about temps, but it would also do RH.

I want to say each gizmo was $150ish. I can't for the life of me remember the name/brand of the ones they had, but something like this is very similar. I'll leave it as an exercise to someone else on how to route CAT5 into a humidor/coolidor! 

Temperature, Humidity, Dew Point Monitoring Sensor | Digital Sensors T3HD


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## stogienoob75 (Feb 27, 2014)

jcazz said:


> I don't know about the accuracy - but at the last company I was at, we outfitted the server rooms and the IDFs with little boxes that plugged into a CAT5 cable & had a temp probe, humidity sensor, and light sensor. We used Cacti (Cacti® - The Complete RRDTool-based Graphing Solution) to graph them and see trends and we also used Nagios (Nagios - The Industry Standard in IT Infrastructure Monitoring) to send alerts to pagers/phones. We only cared about temps, but it would also do RH.
> 
> I want to say each gizmo was $150ish. I can't for the life of me remember the name/brand of the ones they had, but something like this is very similar. I'll leave it as an exercise to someone else on how to route CAT5 into a humidor/coolidor!


Thanks for the info Jacob!


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## jcazz (Apr 2, 2011)

It was driving me nuts that I couldn't remember the gizmo so I went on a hunt through years of old email and I found a single screenshot that let me track it down. It was an EM01b sensor from Esensors (WebSensors - Products). It appears they're now VERY proud of it at $295!!

I found one on eBay for $150: Esensor EM01B HVAC Monitor Air Temperature Illumination Sensors by Network | eBay

I will say this, if you're familar with Cacti, MRTG, and/or Nagios they're a snap to install and configure for monitoring.

I doubt anyone will purchase one, but it feels good to scratch that mental itch. It was driving me a little buggy not being able to remember the name of it!


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## stonecutter2 (Jul 12, 2012)

I did this as well, with a remote sensor, and I love seeing how things are inside the humidor without lifting the lid 

The trending thing is awesome too, mine says last 24 hours, so i know if something's going up or down.


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## Trackmyer (Jun 6, 2014)

Jacob, just wanted to follow up. Been running this unit now for almost a week. Its awesome! Tested the accuracy and right out of the box they were dead on. 
Got 3 in humidors, 1 in a tupperdore, all upstairs in my bedroom. Main unit downstairs in my living room and its truly a joy to see it scroll thru the four and know all is well. No more opening up the humi's to check temps and humidity losing precious air in process. Now Im considering buying another for the humi's I keep at my office..
Thanks again for the great review and sharing this great gadget.


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## Entropydave (Aug 26, 2014)

Well, funnily enough I got a remote weather sensor here in front of me - but it only measures inside and outside temp - had I have thought about it, I could have done with getting one that measures RH!


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## JustinThyme (Jun 17, 2013)

These are actually not far off on the RH or temp and the offset can be easily entered in the base unit but not on the individual transmitters. 

My problem with them is the transmitters are unreliable. I bought the big brother to this one that supposedly can monitor 8 channels, shows 4 at a time on the display. It came with 3 and I bought an extra two. Sent the first set back and kept the extra transmitters and got another. Same deal with the second so no sense trying any more. The base just goes blank on random channels when it feels like it. If you pull the transmitter in question and cycle through to search it will come back up for awhile anyhow. I've tried all different combos of channel assignments and its purely random of which drops out and when. Its not long distance either. 3 of them in the Eurocave and 2 in the Newair, all are in the same room. with less than 10 feet between any transmitter and the base.


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## jcazz (Apr 2, 2011)

JustinThyme said:


> These are actually not far off on the RH or temp and the offset can be easily entered in the base unit but not on the individual transmitters.
> 
> My problem with them is the transmitters are unreliable. I bought the big brother to this one that supposedly can monitor 8 channels, shows 4 at a time on the display. It came with 3 and I bought an extra two. Sent the first set back and kept the extra transmitters and got another. Same deal with the second so no sense trying any more. The base just goes blank on random channels when it feels like it. If you pull the transmitter in question and cycle through to search it will come back up for awhile anyhow. I've tried all different combos of channel assignments and its purely random of which drops out and when. Its not long distance either. 3 of them in the Eurocave and 2 in the Newair, all are in the same room. with less than 10 feet between any transmitter and the base.


Interesting that you've had such troubles with this. Wonder if it's an issue with your base unit? I've noticed a missed signal a few times, but otherwise these have been very reliable and worked fine. The display unit sits about 4' from the closest sensors, 15' from two others and close to 30' (and through a brick wall) from the fourth and it's all been working pretty much without a hiccup.

Admittedly I've only had this for about 15 weeks now, but still very happy with it.


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## JustinThyme (Jun 17, 2013)

jcazz said:


> Interesting that you've had such troubles with this. Wonder if it's an issue with your base unit? I've noticed a missed signal a few times, but otherwise these have been very reliable and worked fine. The display unit sits about 4' from the closest sensors, 15' from two others and close to 30' (and through a brick wall) from the fourth and it's all been working pretty much without a hiccup.
> 
> Admittedly I've only had this for about 15 weeks now, but still very happy with it.


I've tried two different base units with the same result. I've had the second one running about a month or so but still get random channels drop out. Yesterday it was channel 2 and today its channel 8. ATM I have the first three channels and the last two assigned for a total of 5 active.

Like I said the transmitters are showing the correctly on their displays, just dropping communications to the base unit. Maybe that frequency range is just too saturated in my home but I would doubt it as these run at 915Mhz.


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## Trackmyer (Jun 6, 2014)

Update using these since June, everything is still spot on. I took a random one out this weekend and sealed in a ziplock with a Boveda and it was spot right on the money. 

Haven't had any issues with losing signal. Though the receiver is sitting in living room with 3 transmitters in my Wineador in dining room only 20' away. 

All units are still on their first set of batteries, about 3 months in and going strong. 4th trans. is at my shop in the coolidor, and has been just as accurate.

This is still one of the best purchases Ive made in regards to cigar upkeep. Love watching it scroll thru temps and RH whenever the curiosity gets me. And the last 24hr. High and Low is a nice touch.


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## jcazz (Apr 2, 2011)

JustinThyme said:


> I've tried two different base units with the same result. I've had the second one running about a month or so but still get random channels drop out. Yesterday it was channel 2 and today its channel 8. ATM I have the first three channels and the last two assigned for a total of 5 active.
> 
> Like I said the transmitters are showing the correctly on their displays, just dropping communications to the base unit. Maybe that frequency range is just too saturated in my home but I would doubt it as these run at 915Mhz.


That really stinks - I'm sorry it's not been reliable for you.


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## gtechva (Mar 9, 2014)

I hate I saw this thread. Now I won't be able to get this off my mind. Maybe I'll mention it for a Birthday or Christmas present to the Mrs or kids. Thanks to everyone for your input.


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## WNYTony (Feb 12, 2014)

Trackmyer said:


> I took a random one out this weekend and sealed in a ziplock with a Boveda and it was spot right on the money.


I've done this a few times with mine and same result. That's a bummer as I've had no problems with mine (smaller unit though - not the big boy), but the remote units are within 6' of the base here.

It's gotta be that monster wineador that you've got Rob


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## elricfate (Mar 2, 2013)

These run at 433mhz. Unfortunately that means any walls cause signal loss, and distance is even worse. I run one in a wineador and another in my safe, both feeding to the same base unit. The one in my safe constantly drops (I need to buy a repeater or get an extended 433mhz antenna) but the one in my wineador is fine.

One note, if your sensor is off, you adjust from the base, not from the sensor. The batteries last about a year and that is a GOOD thing because once a year you should be recalibrating anyway.


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## terrys1991 (Oct 8, 2014)

Thanks for the info I'm in the process of building a small cabinet humidor & have been looking at wireless hygrometers, xikar's is pretty expensive & cant be recalibrated I will be looking into this unit


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